"It's a dream until you write it down. Then it's a GOAL"For successful projects, Comprehensive planning can make all the difference.
Objectives:external image project-scope.jpg

-Understand the importance of scope management for project success.
—- Understand the significance of developing a scope statement.
—- Construct a Work Breakdown Structure for a project.
—- Develop a Responsibility Assignment Matrix for a project.
—- Describe the roles of changes and configuration management in assessing project scope.

The project scope is developed by the project manager and basically defines the products and deliverables to be produced during the project. The project scope takes the inputs from the user requirements and business case, and it structures the project into exactly what needs to be performed. In other words, it documents what the intended business goals are. Brad Egeland
(Pinto Jeffrey 2007)


What is Project Scope Management?
scope of the project. It involves management of the requirements, details and processes. Changes to the scope should be handled in a structured, procedural, and controlled manner.
The goal of scope management is to define the need, set the expectations, deliver to the expectations, manage changes, and minimize surprises and gain acceptance of the project.
In Scope Management, the project is planned, monitored and controlled.

Project Scope Management describes the processes required to ensure that the project includes all the work required, and only the work required, to complete the project successfully. Managing the project scope is primarily concerned with defining & Controlling what is and is not included in the project

PM Scope processes that include: (PMBoK V.4)
1. Collect Requirement - The process of defining & documenting stakeholders' needs to meet the project objectives.
2. Define Scope - The process of developing a detailed description of the project & product.
3. Create WBS - The process of subdividing project deliverables and project work into smaller, more manageable components.
4. Verify Scope - The process of formalizing acceptance of the completed project deliverables.
5. Control Scope - The process of monitoring the status of the project and product scope and managing changes to the scope baseline.


Project Scope Management is the function of CONTROLLING a PROJECT in terms of its goals & Objectives through the processes of (Conceptual Development, full Definition, Execution & Termination).

PM Scope processes that include: (Pinto , Jeffrey, K. 2007)

1. Concept Development, Initiation - to reduce the project's overall complexity to a more basic level.
  • Problem or Need Statement: Why there is a need in search of a solution, What is the underlying problem, What is intended to do.
  • Information gathering: Research to gather all relevent data
  • Constraints: Restrictions, Time & Budget constraints, Goal & Objectives.
  • Alternative analysis: understand the nature of the problem and working to generate alternative solutions.
  • Project objectives: Conceptual Devel. concludes with a clear statement of objectives in terms of (Output, Required Resources, Timing)
  • Statement of Work (SOW): a detailed narrative description of the work required for a project. ( Key Objectives, General description of the work to be performed, expected project Outcomes, Funding, Scheduling constraints (including Start & Ending dates and milestones)

2. Scope Statement - the heart of scope mgmt. reflects a project team's best efforts at creating the documentation and approval of all important parameters prior to proceeding to the development phase: Key steps include:
  • Establish the project goal criteria, including cost, schedules, performance, any tangible & verifiable deliverable/outcomes
  • Developing the Management Plan: consists of Org. structure of the project's team, policies and procedures under which the project team members are expected to operate their appropriate jobs. all members know their roles, responsibilities and professional relations.
  • Establish Work Breakdown Structure WBS: Mechanism that divides the project into its component subsets and establish critical interrelationships among activities.( which steps must precede others, which steps are independent, of previous step and so on ...)
  • The Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) To identify the personnel who will be directly responsible for each task in the project's development is also called (Linear Responsibility Chart)


Project scope template http://office.microsoft.com/en-001/templates/scope-statement-TC001142564.aspx

3. Work Authorization -
This step reflects the official "go ahead" given to the project to commence once the scope definition, planning documents, management plans and other contractual documents have been prepared and APPROVED.
Contractual agreements ( Lump sum or Turnkey Contract, Cost-Plus contracts)


4. Scope Reporting -
Project team and key clients should make decisions about their need for project updates, How many will they require, and how frequently?
The type of information that will be regularly reported , who will receive copies, how the information is acquired and disseminated.
Cost status update, Performance status updates


5. Control Systems -
involves controlling changes to the project scope Goals of scope control are to:
  • Influence the factors that cause scope changes -Assure changes are processed according to procedures developed as part of integrated change control
  • Manage changes when they occur

6. Project Closeout -




What defines a project scope?

The Project Scope pertains to the work necessary to deliver a product. Requirements and deliverables define the project scope, and it is critical that the stakeholder is in agreement with the information discussed in the proposed plan.
The use of Mind Mapping Software such as MatchWare's MindView can greatly assist in the processes involved in creating the Project Scope.

Follow this link for detailed info about project scope ..... http://www.projectscope.net


http://www.docstoc.com/docs/document-preview.aspx?doc_id=68396467